Tag: plastic business cards

Ways to Strategically Use Plastic Business Cards for Marketing

Plastic business cards can be part of any full-fledged print marketing campaign. Despite the popularity of digital marketing, print marketing is still effective because it is tangible and long-lasting. When you hand over a clear plastic business card to a potential client, he or she is bound to be impressed by the quality of printing and material – especially when you combine it with an eye-popping design. This is just one of the reasons why it pays to order business cards which are made from plastic.

Another reason is the aesthetics and quality of the material. Compare a thin, haphazardly printed cardboard business card to a thick, well-designed frosted plastic business card. Which of these two cards do you think a customer will keep? Which one will last longer? The plastic card, obviously. Most plastic business cards are made from 20-pt. vinyl – which is just slightly thinner than a standard credit card. When held, the weight feels significant to the hand, especially when compared with a 14-pt. vinyl cardboard business card. Plastic is also waterproof and tear-proof. A thin card without any special coating can easily tear, which is something that plastic cards aren’t prone to. These qualities make plastic the material of choice for business cards.

Lastly, how can you strategically use plastic business cards for marketing? Since they can easily be mistaken for a credit card, why not use plastic business cards as a discount card for promotional events? If you’re newly launching your business, offer a 10% discount for customers who will bring your plastic business card to the store. You can also include these cards when sending out mailers as part of your postcard marketing campaign, for example.

As you can see, there are plenty of benefits in choosing plastic business cards. By using them strategically in your print marketing campaign, you can watch your profits soar by simply distributing these elegant, high-quality business cards to your network of contacts.

Quick Facts about Plastic Business Cards

Hand over a plastic business card to a potential client and you will get that immediate reaction of surprise. The mere fact that the material is not as cliché as beige cardboard is enough to leave a good first impression. Match this with a design that portrays the image that you’d like to have as a brand – then you are off to good start in your print advertising campaign using business cards.


Plastic Business Card FAQs

If you are considering using plastic business cards, here are a few quick facts to know about it:

  1. How thick are plastic business cards?

Cardboard business cards have a thickness ranging from 14-pt. to 32-pt. The most popular option is to use 20-pt. plastic, which has 63% the thickness or a regular credit card. Some printing companies even give you the option to cut the card with rounded corners, or just leave them with rectangular edges.

  1. What kinds of printing finish are available?

You can take your pick from clear business cards, white plastic or frosted. White is a great option for those with black-and-white or mostly plain designs. Clear business cards stand out because of the material and designs available. Frosted business cards can be designed similar to cardboard cards, with the thick and durable material being the only difference.

  1. Any design consideration to keep in mind?

When designing clear business cards made from plastic, make sure that the font has a size and design that’s easily readable. You don’t want the recipient of the card to be squinting when trying to read your contact number because the font is too small. Avoid overcrowding the design with unnecessary elements – the cleaner, the better. Choose colors that will contrast with the finish of your card so a white background is not a good idea for white plastic cards, nor are light colors against a frosted plastic background.

With a standout design and material, plastic business cards are great for handing out to customers so that you can leave an excellent first impression for your brand.

Make Your Brand Name Pop with Plastic Business Cards

What are the benefits of plastic business cards? To start right off, the material is durable, it feels significant to the hand when held, and it is waterproof and tear-proof. Compared to thin cardboard cards, plastic business cards that are designed with the material in mind will make your brand name pop. Here, we will take a look at a few things to remember when ordering business cards.


Tips when Ordering Online Business Cards Made of Plastic

The good news is that you can easily look for online business cards printing companies that offer the plastic cards option. To ensure that you have a smooth and easy transaction while getting the best print possible, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

  • Look for printing companies with an easy ordering system.

There are printing companies with a completely online ordering system. All you have to do is select the type, size, and thickness of the business card. After uploading the design, specify the quantity and if there are any other special requirements for printing your card. Next, make a payment and wait for the cards to be delivered straight to your doorstep – it should be that easy.

  • Check on the finish options that they offer.

For plastic cards, the most popular options are white, clear, and frosted. When choosing between these three, make sure to also consider the layout of your card so that the colors of the design and the text will pop out.

  • Ask about the thickness of the material.

For most plastic business cards, a 20-pt. vinyl material is used – which is slightly thinner than a standard-sized credit card. You also have the option to request for round-edge or rectangular-edge cards.

  • Determine the turnaround time and check on the quality of customer service that they offer.

Once your order for online business cards is placed, how many business days must you wait for the cards to be delivered? What about the quality of customer service offered by the printing company? Try to make one or two inquiries to gauge the speed of their response, and the quality of customer service offered.

By keeping these tips in mind, you can have a hassle-free time ordering plastic business cards from your preferred printing company.

 

 

More than Just Shiny: The Unique Qualities of Gold Foil Business Cards

If you’d like to combine shine with substance, gold foil business cards is the way to go. As a business owner, your goal is to make a good first impression, have people remember your brand name, and for you to make a great impact overall. These are things that can be achieved by launching a marketing campaign which does not necessarily have to be all-digital – print still works. This is especially true when it comes to distributing business cards. Even if your business is purely online, the fact that you’re still using business cards and handing it over to clients will make you stand out.

So why choose gold foil business cards? Just like plastic business cards and offset business cards, this is a type of premium business card so it immediately stands out in a stack of cardboard or linen. Metallic foil business cards are made using a foil stamping method. The effect is that a certain part of the card – it can be a name, logo, or photo – is colored gold, silver, or copper. When set against dark black or white background, the metallic color will shimmer under any lighting condition.

Because of the foil stamping method used, gold foil business cards must be made using silk 17-pt. paper. It has 60% the thickness of a credit card. So when you compare a thin linen business card with a  thick, gold-foil card – which one do you think will stand out?

Another extra feature that you can consider when having this type of business card made is applying a spot UV coating. This protects the print on the card from wearing out, even after prolonged sun exposure. Foil stamped cards are also resistant to tearing, creases, and it’s even water-resistant!

When having business cards made, you really should not scrimp. Instead, go all out and use a laminating effect like gold foil stamping. With such elegant, classy, shimmery cards, your business name or brand will be stamped on the mind of whoever is holding your business card. The fact that you exerted such an effort in having elegant business cards made will make them think highly of your brand, and make them want to do business with you. What more is there to ask for?

 

Make Your Brand Stand Out with Gold Foil Business Cards

If you love everything that shimmers, why not consider having gold foil business cards made? More than the glitter, it’s the impression that will really make an impact to the person who will receive your card. To get started, what are the things that you need to know about this type of business card?

First, gold foil business cards are made using a process called foil stamping. Similar to plastic business cards, the printing and lamination process is not as straightforward as, say, linen business cards. With foil stamping, metallic foil is used to create the glittery effect. It is recommended that you use a dark black or bright white background, for it to highly contrast with the metallic color – which can be gold, silver, or copper.

During the printing process, the white paper is used. Depending on the background, a white or black strip is combined with a second foil mask file. Based on the design, certain areas get foil while the other parts do not. The result is that a logo, name, or photograph stands out with the metallic gold color against the black or white background.

Second, when ordering metallic foil business cards, you must look for a printing company with the length of experience and the equipment required in achieving such an effect. Printing companies like BlockbusterPrint offer such services, so you can rest assured that products like offset business cards, gold foil business cards, and silk business cards are made with excellent quality.

Third, make sure that the design of the business card is suitable for foil stamping. Let’s say that you are a real estate broker and you want only your name to be embossed in gold color. The card should be design in such a way that the background and the rest of the text is in black or white, while your name is embossed in gold color. Under any lighting condition, your name will shimmer and get noticed by the person who is holding the card.

Indeed, metallic foil stamped business cards will make your brand stand out – so consider having one made for your business right now.

Gold Foil Business Cards Offer the Ultimate in Class & Durability

When making a presentation, meeting clients, or talking with potential business partners, your goal is to impress – and there’s no better way to do just that than by having gold foil business cards. Here, we will take a look at how this type of business card offers the ultimate in class and durability.

Why It Pays to Choose Foil Business Cards

Anything that’s made with gold or is colored gold is bound to leave a lasting impression. There’s just something about this precious material that exudes class and sophistication. If you want to set yourself apart from all other businesses, you really should go for metallic foil business cards, gold in particular.

Aside from being classy, the finish of gold foil business cards has a similar effect as plastic business cards. The unique material will make your brand stand out in a sea of cardboard business cards. Quality-wise, here are more reasons why you should go for gold foil business cards:

  • You can highlight a specific part of the design – a photo, your logo, your company name, or your name. When the gold foil area of the card is hit with sunlight, it will shine and glitter because of the gold color. This just screams class and quality so anybody who holds your business card is bound to remember your brand.
  • The gold foil used prior to the lamination process is made from a high-end material that’s very reflective, so it will shimmer in all lighting conditions. To make sure that the design of the card is not too busy, stick with a black or white color palette.
  • Gold foil business cards are usually printed on 17-pt. laminated paper stock. This lasts ten times longer than typical cardboard cards.
  • The gold foil mask file, when combined with the protective silk coating, is resistant to creases, wear, and tear.

Metallic foil, suede, luster, plastic, and offset business cards are examples of specialty cards that you must consider when having a set made for your business. As compared to beige, barely-there, cardboard-thin cards, something that’s more substantial – especially if printed with gold – will make people notice you and your brand.

 

Why It Pays to Invest in Printing High-Quality: Business Cards Online

You will find a lot of companies offering business cards online services, but not all are created equal. Some will offer you cheap packages, especially if you are ordering in bulk. Others provide 24-hour printing services, which is a very fast turnaround time. But quality-wise, how do the cards look? If you want to leave a lasting impression to your customers, you do need to invest in professional-looking business cards.

Are Cheap Business Cards a Bad Idea? Yes!  

Sure, you might find printing packages for a set of plastic business cards to be quite affordable or cost-effective. But if they end up looking like a set of cheap business cards, it really is a bad idea. Why? Take a look at these reasons:

  • It leaves an impression that you don’t care about the customers.

Let’s say that you are participating in a trade show and there’s a booth opposite yours that is offering the same product or services. A participant walks in, visits your booth and that of your direct competitor. The customer will be holding two business cards after learning about what you both have to offer as a business. How does your business card compare with the other company? If you hand over a cheap-looking business card made of thin cardboard and has a barely readable print, you won’t create a good first impression. This customer will naturally choose the better-looking card, because that is what he or she will be impressed with.

  • It’s a reflection of the quality of your products and services.

When you walk into a beauty salon, you naturally expect the hair and makeup artists to look their best. The same thing applies to business cards, which are a reflection of what you are all about as a brand. If you hand over cheap-looking business cards, they will have an impression that they will receive the same cheap quality from you. On the other hand, if they receive a thick business card that they can ooh and ahh over, they’ll think that you are only offering the best quality product or service.

  • It’s something that a person can easily forget or worse, throw in the trash!

Business cards are still a must-have in this digital age but if you distribute cheap-looking or forgettable ones, a customer can easily forget about it. Or worse, once they see the poor quality of the print or the paper, they will throw it in the trash the minute your back is turned! To prevent this from happening, make sure to invest in high-quality products like silk business cards or ones made from thick paper grade with high-quality offset print.

You might be saving a lot of money when ordering cheap business cards, but it’s really not worth it if it will leave your customers with an ill or poor impression of your brand.

 

 

Printing Business Cards Online? Know When to go for the One- or Two-Sided Option

You have to go through a series of steps if you want to order business cards online. When doing so, you’re already aware that this tiny 3.5” x 2” card is your representation as a business owner – so it has to suit the image that you’d like to project to your target market.

First, you need to look for a good print service provider. It’s recommended that you go for ones that offer offset printing instead of desktop digital printing. The former uses state-of-the-art printing presses, as well as an offset printing method for professional-looking results.

Second, you must come up with the design of the business card. You have very limited space so make the most of it. See to it that the font type and size, colors, logo, and images, if any, all combine to create a coherent whole.

Third, pay attention to the small details that make the card. Choose the material – you can go for plastic business cards or silk business cards which are made from thick cardboard, but are laminated to create a fabric-like effect.

Fourth, decide whether you will use just one or both sides of the business card. Here are a few key points for each option:

  • Printing on one side

You will save on printing costs if you will go for the one-sided option – and this is actually a popular choice among business owners. From a customer’s perspective, some prefer to receive one-sided business cards so they can write notes on the blank side. If this is your goal, make sure that the blank side of the card is pen-friendly – which means that the finish should not be shiny. Otherwise, clients cannot write notes on it like a brief introduction, the time and date of their next appointment, etc.

  • Printing on both sides

If you think that one side of the business card is not enough to contain your contact information, you can definitely print on both sides of the card. It may be a bit more expensive but if it will convey more of your marketing message, the extra investment is well worth it in the end. Aside from doubling the available space, you can also use the other side of the business card to make a standout statement. You can print a pattern of your logo on the other side; a small graphic or hand-drawn illustration, or even something like: Write down your next appointment with us on this space: then leave a couple of blank lines. Aside from increased printing costs, two-sided business cards may take a longer time to print – but overall, it is a lot more impressive.

Based on the pros and cons of each, you can make an informed decision about whether a one-sided or two-sided business card will work for your business.

 

Paper or Not? Why It Pays to Go for Plastic Business Cards

If you are thinking about using plastic business cards to promote your business, you are definitely on the right path. These business cards are thick, durable, waterproof, and fade-proof. With such characteristics, not only will you get the best value for your money but you will also make an excellent first impression to your prospective customers.

As compared to paper, here are the many reasons why you should consider going for plastic business cards:

  • Plastic falls under the category of premium business cards. On a side-by-side comparison with thin paper or thick cardboard cards, plastic is extremely durable so it will last you for practically a lifetime.
  • Because of the uniqueness of plastic as a printing material, offset printing is better than digital printing. See-through ink is used and depending on the type of plastic that will be used, you can achieve different effects.
  • The see-through effect is achieved when clear plastic is used; the colors are a bit more solid with frosted plastic; while white plastic is similar to printing on regular paper – only the material is different.
  • Using plastic business cards will make you stand out from your direct competitors. If a company offering the same services that you have in your business has thin, cardboard business cards and yours is made from plastic with high-quality print, which one do you think will stand out?
  • Plastic business cards are similar to credit cards so they have a higher perceived value. Instead of tossing a cardboard card inside an office drawer, customers will most likely keep your plastic business cards inside their wallet or in a prominent place in their office desk.

When looking for a business cards online company to print your plastic cards, make sure that they use state-of-the-art printing presses. Again, plastic has an entirely different surface than paper so a different kind of ink and printing process must be used. Called offset printing, this offers much higher quality than desktop digital printing. With the right printing process, what’s printed on the plastic business card is practically fade-proof, so you won’t worry about customers forgetting about your contact information anytime soon.

With all these benefits, there’s really no reason for you to say no to the prospect of using plastic business cards.

Plastic Business Cards: Durable, Flexible, Impressive

Competition in any business is very tough so you need to have something that makes you stand out – and plastic business cards do exactly that. Durable and flexible, these unique business cards will impress the heck out of your customers.

The Characteristics that Make Business Cards Stand Out

So what exactly are the characteristics that make business cards made from plastic stand out? Here’s a preview:

Clients will definitely not be impressed with thin linen cards which look like they just came out from a desktop printer. Cards which are as thick as a credit card and plastic cards are considered premium because of the quality of material used. By showing customers that you are investing in high-quality material, they will have the impression that you are also delivering the same level of quality when it comes to the products or services that you are offering.

  • The material is durable and flexible.

As compared to paper, no matter how thick, plastic is waterproof, durable, and fade-proof. Just make sure to look for a business cards online printing company that specializes in printing plastic business cards.

  • The uniqueness of the material will make your business card stand out.

If a customer has a stack of business cards collected over the years, they will most likely be made from standard-sized cardboard material. If your plastic business card is inserted in such a stack, it will really stand out and it will increase the likelihood of a customer calling you. Another thing that makes plastic cards stand out is the fact that there are different styles or finishes to choose from: white, clear-colored, frosted, or textured. When designing the card, make sure that the layout, font, and colors used will be a good fit for the material used.

Size-wise, you can go for the standard 2” x 3.5” option – or something a bit bigger like 2.125” x 3.375”. Square, oval, or standard-sized business cards with rounded edge are the other options that you can choose from. Stylish, durable, and flexible, plastic business cards are a must-have if you want to leave a lasting impression to your clients.